Kyle Orton didn’t hear a boo in his second preseason game.
Alright, so he was playing on the road. But even the Broncos faithful had to be encouraged with what they saw on television.
Orton threw for 177 yards in the first half against Seattle, leading the Broncos to ten points in their first two possessions. Only a drop in the end zone by Jabar Gaffney kept Orton from having a nearly perfect night.
After the Jabar gaffe, the Broncos went for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the one. With pressure coming from his right side, Orton made a Jake Plummer-like left-handed throw that was picked off in the end zone. The blooper-reel-worthy play marred an otherwise impressive effort, which included many plays straight out of the 2008 Patriots playbook.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence right now,” Orton told the Denver Post. “This is the best offense I’ve ever played with. I’ve got a lot of talent around me.”
Perhaps Orton’s most talented teammate, Brandon Marshall, was left behind in Denver. Coach Josh McDaniels commented vaguely about it after the game.
“Every player who was ready and able to play in this game was here, and all the guys we didn’t think were ready and able stayed back home,” McDaniels said.
After the game, there was some question regarding the availability of Orton’s backup Chris Simmsm who left the game with an ankle injury, and who was seen on crutches after the game.
So, whether Broncos fans like it or not, Orton is going to be their man.
And they should save their boos for another quarterback; Jay Cutler and the Bears visit Denver next Sunday night on NBC.